A good farm day with some yuck.

It was a good day, as farm days go (except the days are already getting shorter). I was happy I didn’t have to go anywhere, except Agway up the road. Chores seemed to take a long time, but I wasn’t rushing.

Llamas are my favorite, but there is one chore that I have to do once a month that is a bit of a drag. I have to give each llama a shot of Ivermectin (wormer) as a preventative to meningeal worm – just a yucky thing we have here in the Northeast.

This evening a friend came to help me out. Shots are usually easiest if I don’t make them a big deal and put the llamas in a chute or halters. My friend held each llama around it’s neck (as if to put a halter in), I slid the needle in, and done. Twelve llamas to do, we were halfway through. Lucky me, I got to a llama with skin tough as new leather. That needle did not want to go through her skin. I heard a gurgle in her throat and at the same time my friend said, “uh oh”; llama with leather skin reach her head around, put her mouth on the top of my head and let loose a big stinky wad of wet slimy spit in my hair. YUCK.

But, I deserved it because I know the shot hurt, and she warned me with that gurgle. Mental note, pick another area of skin for next time. Then stinky me felt something warm on my leg. Dang it. One of the filled syringes in my pocket lost a needle during the spit episode. I had about 6 cc’s of wormer running down my leg. YUCK. Fortunately, the needle was in the protective cap.

Finished up the llamas, and went to feed the rabbits dinner. They were getting broccoli with their oats and pellets tonight. They already had carrots with breakfast. Feeding time is also visiting and quick health check time. Daughter’s prize rabbit, Rosie (a Jersey Woolly) had a poopy butt. Isn’t farm life nice? Rosie is over eight years old and she is one of the senior citizen rabbits. Just like elderly people, sometimes elderly pets and farm animals need some assist. When she was a Cloverbud in 4H, daughter used to show Rosie at fairs and rabbit shows, and this lovely rabbit has all kinds of ribbons and a big trophy from back when. And, she is a sweetheart.

Rabbit scissors were in the barn, I trimmed off the icky stuff. Sweet, sweet Rosie, all fresh and clean.

Stopped in to visit the miniature horses and donkeys, and gave them their evening hay, goats too. Closed up the chicken doors (smiled at the Seabrights). Then, back out to Llama Land to yell good-night to all – they were across the field happy in the cool evening air, so I let them be.

Back to a quiet house, 9 pm. Husband and daughter are at a Valley Cats game. I’m at my desk, cats at my feet, dogs sleeping in the hall.

And there we have it, another day in the life. Oh, and time for a shower. Yucky me.